That's How Love Should Be
by EiSeL
Summary: ONESHOT Ron and Hermione always fight... will that ever change? 7th year sorta Hogwarts. I tried to keep the characters as canon as possible. I hope you don't judge this story on this sucky summary :P


**AN:** I'm baaack!!!!!! I've been gone a whole freaking year... did you miss me? lol Sorry it's taken forever and a day for my to update, but I have been plagued-- plagued!-- with writer's block. This story evolved from a little snippet that I'd written long ago, and I just was struck with inspiration when I sat down at my cubicle one day (Yeah, this is what I do when I should be working :P). After I started it, I figured that I'd better post it before Deathly Hallows comes out (ZOMG TONIGHT!!!!!) so people would read it and so that I could say that it's spoiler free.

I still don't expect that many people to read this lol

Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Jo Rowling is the creator of all things HP.

* * *

**That's How Love Should Be**

The portrait hole exploded open with the portrait of the Fat Lady smacking against the wall.

"Just because you have a stick shoved up your arse about something doesn't mean that you have any right to blame me!" said Ron as he walked into the common room after Hermione. There was a simultaneous groan from everyone in the common room.

"I have every right to blame you, Ron!" screamed Hermione right back at him.

"Oh, is that so? Last time I checked, I didn't do anything wrong!"

"You did everything wrong! You're so clueless sometimes!"

"You always yell at me for this or that and I don't know what the bloody hell you're talking about! Maybe if I could understand where you were coming from, this wouldn't happen as often as it does, Hermione!"

"Do you want me to spell it out to you?"

"Yes! I do!"

"Fine—I don't like you snogging whichever girl you please at any given moment's fancy!"

"I can snog whoever I damn well want to! Whether it's a girl, boy, or bloody pygmy puff—whatever! It's my business! Despite how much you want to believe it, you are not the boss of me!"

"I'm not trying to _boss_ you, Ronal—"

"And why do you care so much?"

"Because it's disgusting! Women aren't tissues! You don't just use them and then throw them away!"

"I'm not forcing you to watch me do it, Hermione!"

"You might as well be!"

"How?"

"It seems like you're doing it every time I'm around you!"

Ron huffed. "Yes, Hermione, you got it spot on—whenever I see you coming, I grab the closest girl and start kissing her like mad."

"I don't appreciate your sarcasm, _Ronald_."

"It's none of you're business who I kiss, anyway! Will you just leave me alone?!"

"No!"

"Why not?!"

"Because!" said Hermione, throwing up her hands.

Ron stopped and stared at her. "'Because?' Really? That's it?" He smirked. "Some comeback, Hermione."

"It was a ridiculous question—completely beside the point." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest and raised her chin up a bit more.

"Oh? Correct me if I'm wrong, but _you're_ the one that brought up my snogging habits!"

Ginny rose from her chair where she'd been doing her past-due homework. "Ron, Hermi—"

"Ginny, stay out of this! This isn't about you, so don't butt into it!" Ron snapped at his sister.

"I might not be a part of it, but I do have to witness it! So either take this somewhere else or calm down because I have a bloody paper due two days ago and I will not be distracted by your bickering!"

Ron snorted. "It's hardly my fault that you didn't do your homework, Ginny."

"Actually, dear brother, it is. If you hadn't been so upset the other nigh—"

"Ginny! Shut up!!"

Hermione piped up from behind him. "We shouldn't distract Ginny…"

He spun back around. "If she has a problem, she can leave!"

"I was here first!" said Ginny, face flushed in traditional Weasley fashion.

"Technically, I was."

Ginny blinked. "You're not _seriously_ using the 'I was born first' argument, are you?"

He puffed out his chest. "Yes, I am."

Hermione walked and stood between them. "Ron, Ginny. This is stupid—stop it."

Ron pointed an accusing finger at Hermione. "See, you're doing it again!"

"Doing what?!"

"Bossing me!"

"She's not bossing you, Ron. I agree with her, this is stupid."

Ron fumed. "Then stay out of things that you have no part of, and this kind of _stupid_ thing wouldn't happen!" Ron's face had turned a disturbing shade of purple and a vein was bulging in his neck.

Hermione shoved Ron and looked him in the eye. "Ron! Calm down!"

"Why the bloody hell should I calm down?!"

"Because you're going to hurt somebody! Or yourself!"

Ginny spoke up, her voice low and even now. "Listen to her, Ron."

Ron groaned and brushed Ginny off. "I don't even know why Mum worries so much about me. I mean, _you're_ here and all..."

"Oh, so now I'm you're mother?" Hermione brushed her hair behind her ear with her hand.

"You sure are acting like it!"

"Well, _excuse me_ for caring, Ron. Am I not allowed to do that now?"

"You don't just _care_! You hover, you intervene, and you control—they're completely different!"

"Hover? Ron, I'm your best friend. I happen to be around you quite a bit."

"It'd be nice to _just_ have a best friend for a change!"

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

"It means that with you comes all this stress that just makes me want to tear my hair out!"

Hermione's mouth started quivering as she spoke. "Stress?! Well maybe you can just find yourself a different best friend if I'm such a _burden_!"

"Fine! Maybe I will! I never needed you anyway! You _or_ your stuck up, holier than thou attitude!"

Hermione's eyes softened a bit but then she brought a scowl back to her lips. She walked over to him and slapped him across the face. Hard. "Bastard," she said, eyes beginning to water. She sprinted out the portrait hole.

Ron was left gaping in shock. He brought his hand up to the stinging sensation on his cheek. Ginny gave him a look of thorough disgust. "Nice going, Ron," she said as she ran after Hermione.

Ron walked over and kicked the edge of the sofa before he sunk down into it. "Damn it."

Harry, who had been observing the scene from the corner, came over and plopped down beside his best friend. They sat there in silence while Ron massaged his temples.

Harry looked up. "Do you want to play some chess?"

"No."

"Do you want to get something from the kitchens?" asked Harry as he picked his fingernails.

"No."

"Do you want to talk abou—"

"No, Harry," said Ron as he leaned his head back on the couch.

Harry nodded and got up. "Okay, whatever. I'll see you later," he said as he made his way towards the stairs.

The common room had cleared out during Ron and Hermione's little spat, leaving Ron there by himself. He started thumping his head against the back of the couch. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

* * *

Ginny didn't even have to think to know where Hermione had run off to. She rounded the corner and walked through the threshold to the library. It was completely empty that she could tell, but she knew better. She shoved her hands in her pockets and began to walk up and down the rows of bookcases. It wasn't long before she heard the sound of someone crying.

Ginny nearly missed the turn, but she looked and saw Hermione sitting at one of the huge wooden tables.

"Hermione?"

Hermione looked up, heaving slightly, and then started all out howling.

Ginny jumped a bit at the extent of Hermione's lament before walking over to her and embracing here, trying to calm her down.

"Why does he have to be such a prat?" asked Hermione, sobbing into her arms folded on the table.

Ginny, who had her arm around her friend comfortingly, just patted her on the back. "It's because he's been cursed."

"What?" Hermione stopped sobbing for a moment and looked up, suddenly deadly serious. "With what?"

Ginny smirked. "Testosterone."

Hermione began weeping again.

Ginny mentally kicked herself. "Sorry, not the best time for humor." She smoothed Hermione's hair back the best she could. "It's because that's how he is, and I don't think that's going to change very soon."

"Well why not?" asked Hermione as she sat up and curled her feet underneath her on the chair. "He's so stubborn and brash and rude and sometimes I just want to strangle him."

"I know the feeling."

"But he's not always like that, you know?" Hermione swiped the wetness from her eyes. "Like at Professor Dumbledore's funeral, he just _held_ me while I was crying… I mean, I love that side of him. Why can't he be like that more often?"

"Because he's too proud... I bet if he'd step back and look at himself while he just goes off like that, he'd hate himself, too."

Hermione huffed and leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling.

"What were you even fighting about, anyway?" Ginny asked.

"Potions! Of all things!"

Madame Pince came around the bookcase and "shushed" them before disappearing again.

Ginny smiled. "What happened?"

"He knocked over the cauldron and it spilled everywhere… nothing even happened. It was honestly so futile and immature—he let out a string of curses and I offered to help him, but, as headstrong as he is, he wouldn't take my help. Then I told him that he was causing a scene and one thing led to another and we started arguing about anything we could think of, all the way back from the dungeons. And then the thing in the common room happened…." Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment. "I really didn't like smacking him, Ginny. I mean, I know it probably didn't hurt him too badly…. I probably scared him more than anything… but I still feel awful for it."

"He was being stupid—if anything he deserved it… needed it, even."

Hermione sighed. "We always do this… I hate fighting all the time like this with him." She traced the grain of the wood on the table. "I don't have _time_ to be fighting like this with him."

"I think you need to tell him, Hermione."

She glanced up at Ginny. "Tell him wha….?"

Ginny looked at her meaningfully.

"Oh… I don't know, Ginny. We argue all the time… I'd be afraid to approach him about something like that."

"If you don't tell him now, when will you?"

"The eve of the Final Battle sound good?" she asked jokingly, quickly sobering.

They sat quietly, thoughts spinning around their heads.

Ginny sighed. "It'll work itself out, Mione." Ginny rose from her chair. "I'm going to go wash up for dinner. Are you coming?"

Hermione made a face. "I don't know if I'm all that hungry right now… I think I'm just going to get a little research in while I'm here."

"Are you sure? Do you want me to stay here with you?"

"No, I'm fine, Ginny. You go on to dinner." Hermione went to grab a book off the shelf.

* * *

After dinner, Ron walked out of the Great Hall by himself. Ginny watched, then rose from her seat and followed him. She saw his walk out the door of the castle and onto the grounds.

She walked out onto the grounds and looked around. She couldn't see him. She took out her wand and laid it flat on her palm. "Point me."

Her wand spun around until it finally landed in one direction. She followed it until she saw her brother sitting on gravel shore of the lake.

"Hey, big brother."

Ron looked over his shoulder. "Hey, Gin."

Ginny came and sat beside him. "Have you apologized to Hermione yet?"

Ron scowled. "I'm fine, Ginny. Thank you for asking."

"Seriously."

He sighed. "No, I haven't."

"You need to do that!"

Ron picked up a rock and threw it toward the lake. "I know."

"Well when are you going to do it?"

"Merlin's beard, Ginny—it's only been two hours."

"Do you want a repeat of last year, _Won-won_? When are you going to do it?"

"I don't know, okay? I'll do it sometime! Quit prodding me!"

She sighed. "Ron, there are—Ron, look at me."

Ron looked up at his sister through his bangs.

"There are bigger things going on here than you and your inhibitions. We could all die tomorrow and you may never see her again," Ginny said, staring him down. "What are you going to do then? Huh?"

Ron wrapped his hands around his knees. "I don't know…"

"No, you do know. You wouldn't be able to live with yourself—don't lie." Ginny picked at the grass she was sitting on. "It could happen to any of us."

"I know, Ginny. Blimey… do you think I don't? In a week or so, Harry, Hermione, and me are going to pack up, go out, and find the scattered pieces of Voldemort's bloody soul so we can destroy him! I am _painfully _aware of that fact!"

Ginny frowned at him.

Ron ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry."

"It's okay… I know you're scared."

Ron opened his mouth, ready to bark his defense at her. He then realized he didn't have one.

They were quiet before Ron spoke again.

"That's exactly why Harry is keeping you away from the war, Gin. You know that, right?"

"Yeah… I know." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I just wish he didn't have to be so buggering noble all the time."

Ron grinned. "You love that about him and you know it."

"I do." Ginny smiled.

They sat in silence.

Ginny cleared her throat. "But this isn't even about me right now, Ron. I mean, you're my brother and I love you. I don't know why you won't do this when it would be so good for you." Ron opened his mouth to speak but Ginny cut him off. "And I'm not just talking about apologizing to her, either."

Ron bit his lip. "I don't know, Gin… She deserves someone… _so _much better than me."

"Why are you so hard on yourself?"

"I'm not being hard on myself—it's true. She smart and caring and funny and _beautiful_… And I'm just another guy."

"I'm sure she doesn't think of you like that."

"And we fight _all the time._"

"Ron, she's been your best friend for nearly seven years… If she's put up with you this long, she's either off her rocker or completely crazy about you," she said as she flung a handful of grass at her brother's face.

Ron brushed the pieces of grass out of his hair. "You really think so?"

"I have an in, dear brother—I know what I'm talking about."

Ron's eyes lit up and he suddenly had the most dreamy, lopsided smile plastered across his face.

"But you've really got to work on your temper," said Ginny, bringing him back to reality. "If there's one thing that she can't stand about you, it's your temper… And I don't think she likes smacking you _all_ that much."

Ron smiled and nudged Ginny with his shoulder. She nudged him back.

Thunder growled faintly in the distance. "Looks like rain," said Ginny, looking skyward.

Ron also glanced at the sky and nodded.

She stood and brushed the backs of her legs off. "Well, I've got to go do that essay, now, anyway. You coming in?"

"Yeah… I'll be there in a minute."

"Alright, see you later."

"See ya," he said over his shoulder. Ron picked up another rock, weighing it in his hand, and chucked it into the lake.

"She's in the library, by the way," Ginny called back to him. He turned and looked at her. "Just thought you ought to know." She winked at him and walked back up to the castle.

* * *

Ron walked into the library and sighed. The smell of old paper wafted to his nostrils. He bit the bullet and began to search between the shelves.

He stopped as he found Hermione, hunched over a book, scribbling notes down like mad on a piece of parchment.

He sat down across the table from here.

"Hey, Hermione."

She didn't even look up at him. "Ron."

Ron picked at his fingernails. "Can I say something?"

"Not now, Ron."

Ron made a face. "It's sort of important."

She looked over to her parchment, then to the book, then back at the parchment again. "I'm busy."

"Hermione…"

Hermione got up to go to the bookcase. "Ron, I really can't to talk right now. I'm on the verge of a breakthr— "

"Damn it, Hermione!" Ron shot up and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Will you just _listen_ to me?"

Hermione was still and breathing heavily, eyes wide.

"Ahhh… bugger." Ron let go of Hermione and walked over to sit in an empty chair, cradling his head in his hands. "I always do this… I muck everything up and can never just say what needs to be said and I yell and I piss everyone off and I'm sorry, Hermione, I didn't mean to yell at you—I never mean to yell at you. Ginny yells at me for it all the time. It all just comes out and it comes out fast and mean and just… I even scare myself sometimes with the way that I—"

Hermione came and sat down beside him. "What are you trying to say, Ron?"

Ron sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I'm just trying to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I said those things… I was just so angry."

Hermione nodded. "It's okay, Ron."

"I don't know what's with me lately… I guess I'm just…" Ron gulped. "Scared."

Hermione put a hand on his knee. "Ron, it's okay to be scared, but you need to talk to us about it. We're all scared."

Ron looked at Hermione's hand on his leg, but she quickly pulled it away when she realized it was there.

Ron cleared his throat. "You do know I didn't mean it, right? About finding a different best friend?" He ran his hand through his hair. "That was an awful thing for me to say."

She looked at her hands folded in her lap. "Yeah, I know."

"I mean, if you never wanted to be my friend again, I'd understand."

Hermione smiled. "Don't be silly, Ron."

He grinned. "Okay, good."

"Good." Hermione got up and reached for a book on the shelf, but couldn't get it.

Ron stood. "Which one do you need?"

Hermione stepped back and pointed up. "It's the thick leather one with the buckles."

Ron stood up on his tiptoes, just being able to graze it with his fingertips.

"Should I get a chair?"

Ron shook his head. "No, I've got it."

"Maybe I should just summon it."

"Almost there…"

The book wobbled on the shelf before it fell out and conked him on the head.

"OW!!!" Ron bellowed as the book thudded to the floor. "Bugger!" He sunk down into a chair.

Book forgotten, Hermione rushed to Ron's side to inspect his head. "Ron! Are you okay? Can you see straight?"

Ron put his hands on the top of his head. "Does it look like I'm okay, Hermione? I just got a bloody encyclopedia dropped on my head!"

Just then, Madame Pince came around the corner, looking furious. "Out! Out! Out!"

Hermione helped Ron to his feet and pulled him out of the library, grabbing her parchment on the way.

Ron sat on a bench outside the library, still holding the top of his head.

Hermione stood in front of him. "Let me see it."

He removed his hand and Hermione instantly flew to his scalp. He flinched a little as her fingers landed on his wound. She drew back a little. "Sorry," she said before moving his hair about a bit to see where he'd been hit.

She drew back. "You'll be okay—you'll just have a bump for a few weeks."

Ron frowned. "A few weeks? I'm going to be a unicorn for a few _weeks_? Isn't there anything you can do?"

She stepped back and put her hand on her hip. "Do you want to go to Madame Pomfrey?"

"No."

"Well then there's nothing I can do."

"Nothing at all? I thought you were studying to be a mediwitch."

Hermione blinked. "I'm _studying_ to help Harry kill Voldemort."

Ron grumbled and rubbed his head again.

"If you'd just let me summon it like I'd wanted to…"

Ron snorted. "Oh, it's my fault now?"

"No! I'm just saying this could have been avoided if you'd let me use magic!"

Ron stood up. "You asked me for my help!"

"Actually, you offered—I was just letting you do it so you could get one of those lovely little ego strokes that you seem to love so much!"

Ron made a sort of growling noise before turning and heading down the corridor. So Hermione followed him.

"Ron, what are you doing?!"

"Walking!"

She followed him until he walked out the door of the castle, where she stopped.

"It's pitch black out here!" she screamed at him. Hermione squinted to see his silhouette.

"So?!"

"You'll trip over something!"

"I'm not that bloody clumsy, Hermione! Here…" Ron groped for his want and flicked it on. "Happy?!" he yelled back at her.

"No! It's about to storm! Come back inside!"

Ron stopped and turned around to face her. "Why don't you _make_ me?!" He then turned back around and flipped the hood of his cloak up.

Hermione pulled her hood up, whispered "Lumos," and followed him out into the dark.

The wind whipped at their cloaks as Hermione chased after Ron, nearly running because his strides were so long.

"Ron, honestly! Why are you doing this?!"

He turned around and started walking backwards, facing her. "You can turn back anytime, Hermione!"

Hermione stopped. "You know what? I am _sick_ of this. Sick!" She pulled her hood back, loosened her tie, and shoved her wand back into its pocket. "I am sick of always chasing after you when something happens that isn't even my fault to try to get you to _bloody_ calm down because you always get so infuriated!"

Ron stopped and stood in place, chest heaving. Thunder sounded.

Hermione continued. "I'm sick of us always bickering about the_ stupidest things_! I try to help, but you never accept it! I'm sick of being miserable with my own best friend! I give up, Ron! I _bloody_ give up!"

"You give up, do you?! Fine! Fine! See if I care!"

"You git!" Hermione picked up a rock and threw it at him. "You…"

Ron flinched as the rock hit his back. "You're throwing rocks at me?"

"Doesn't it look like that's what I'm doing?!"

He ducked again as another rock went sailing past his head. "You've gone looney!" Ron began walking towards her as she kept beaming rocks at him.

He grabbed her hand right as she was about to throw another right in his face. "Will you stop it?!" he bellowed.

Hermione dropped the rock to and started beating his chest with her fists.

"Let go of me, you thickheaded, arrogant, raving, blubbering, redheaded arse!"

Ron glowerd at Hermione, hair tangled, face red, breath quick, and tears rolling down her cheeks. He let go of her her and she wrenched her hand away before slapping him across the face.

Then Ron took Hermione's face in his hands, bent down, and kissed her hard. She kissed him back just as hard, their lips fighting against each other's.

Lightning flashed across the sky.

Then Hermione pushed off of him and took a few steps back. "Why did you do that?!"

Ron gaped. "Wha—why did I _do_ that?"

"Yes! _Why _did you do that?!"

"Isn't it obvious?!"

Hermione huffed. "_Obviously_ not!"

"Because I love you, stupid!" Ron yelled, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Oh, I'm stupid?!" Hermione marched up to him and jabbed him hard on the shoulder. "Well did you ever consider that I just might love you, too, you big oaf?!"

Thunder cracked and the sky opened.

Ron and Hermione were left glaring at each other, flushed, panting, and completely soaked as the late summer storm came pouring down on them.

Hermione suddenly smiled and pushed her wet hair away from her face. "It's raining," she said, grinning.

Ron blinked.

And then he laughed.

"You know? I think you're right," he breathed. He lifted her up and twirled her around before descending on her lips once again.

* * *

What do you think? Review, please! 


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